Is Superman super intelligent?

[Beloren]

I know he hid his extraordinary powers growing up, I wonder if super intelligence is one of them.

His natural mother and father were super geniuses, it's odd he is never considered in that regard or his intelligence showcased

So how intelligent is Kal'el? He often seems to figure out Lex's plot, but not before being nearly beaten.

Any specific comic or screen outings have highlighted?

[Biomega]

Intelligence is very inconsistent in comic books, and it's not exactly super realistic in how it's portrayed. A lot of superheroes just seem to be able to do and understand everything as needed, but then get bent over by the most inane plots by some ridiculous villain. Characters that are "super geniuses" usually know how to use any and all technology, are engineers, physicists, chemists, etc. all at once to any possible degree, and know and comprehend everything the plot needs them to.

Superman isn't usually shown that way. He's not super into technology most of the time, or doing "science". But he does seem to have preternatural intuition sometimes and selective knowledge of things as needed, like every character. He also seems to share the usual penchant for intuitively understanding how his powers work and affect the natural world, able to discern the physics of superpowers with pinpoint accuracy and little to no experiment or practice.

[Beloren]

Intelligence is very inconsistent in comic books, and it's not exactly super realistic in how it's portrayed. A lot of superheroes just seem to be able to do and understand everything as needed, but then get bent over by the most inane plots by some ridiculous villain. Characters that are "super geniuses" usually know how to use any and all technology, are engineers, physicists, chemists, etc. all at once to any possible degree, and know and comprehend everything the plot needs them to.

Superman isn't usually shown that way. He's not super into technology most of the time, or doing "science". But he does seem to have preternatural intuition sometimes and selective knowledge of things as needed, like every character. He also seems to share the usual penchant for intuitively understanding how his powers work and affect the natural world, able to discern the physics of superpowers with pinpoint accuracy and little to no experiment or practice.

Yeh, so true. I just had a thought of a future superman version that actually showcased the amount of intelligence it does require to do all the things he does, like the physics of flight .

But it's not just that, he must also have a grasp of far superior krypton technology right? In a few stories, isnt he educated in his Fortress of solitude or when he discovers the ship he arrives in.

But yeh, intelligence is perhaps one of the hardest things to genuinely el portray in a lot of fictional super hero characters

Furthermore it seems to be the hallmark of villains "evil genius" whereas strength and power are instead the highlight of the heroes

[xenogear3]

His intelligent is no higher than the writer who wrote the superman comic book.

Anyone who has higher intelligent than this writer will tell you no.
Anyone who has less intelligent than the writer will tell you yes.

What is your answer?

[Low Hanging Fruit]

He seems to get bitches and has money. What more can one ask for. If he got there on a equaliviance test good for him. If he invents FTL drives in his spare time than it works.

[Redwyrm]

His intelligence was mostly shown to be higher than average. Especially when dealing with Mister Mxyzptlk.

But not super genius levels

[Rustedsaint]

Superman Wikipedia has the answer for you

Mental Powers: Superman possessed genius-level intelligence and an eidetic memory. These enhanced mental capabilities were a direct result of his exposure to a yellow sun. Superman also possessed the mental ability to screen out the enormous amount of information received by his enhanced senses, and to focus on a single detail, such as a particular voice or location. As well, his speed reading abilities were much like that of the Flash. He was able to absorb large amounts of information quickly; whether it entered his short term or long term memory is hazy. Under a yellow sun, a Kryptonian gains the ability to speak and understand all languages.

Afew comics show him building various machines that would make Ironman envious. Yet it shows plenty of dumbass moments for him, like that time he picked a fight with a cyborg that he know was powered by his weakness, who wasn’t attacking anyone at the time and only wanted his corpse back.
I never liked superman cause of all his bullshit abilities break so much logic and used in the dumbest way.Like the fact that he can hear his signal watch a galaxy away , his wife’s heart beat/voice from across the world but he can’t hear lex Luther plotting 5 blocks away from him despite knowing lex Luther.

[Cyanu]

considering that he didn't think one of the hundreds way he could end any of his fights effortlessly i'd say he's pretty dumb...

i mean come on, his powers are godlike, how can he possibly struggle against anyone from earth?...

i could never realate to him due to him being unrealistically overpowered for a protagonist... just watch the damn cryptonite.... he has one job...

[MrPaladinGuy]

Wasn't he endowed with/taught the combined knowledge of all known civilizations on his trip to Earth ? I specifically remember him being taught how to manipulate time but he was forbidden from doing so.

[Kyphael]

Smarter than the average man, but dumber than Batman is how DC writes him.

[Beloren]

Superman Wikipedia has the answer for you

Mental Powers: Superman possessed genius-level intelligence and an eidetic memory. These enhanced mental capabilities were a direct result of his exposure to a yellow sun. Superman also possessed the mental ability to screen out the enormous amount of information received by his enhanced senses, and to focus on a single detail, such as a particular voice or location. As well, his speed reading abilities were much like that of the Flash. He was able to absorb large amounts of information quickly; whether it entered his short term or long term memory is hazy. Under a yellow sun, a Kryptonian gains the ability to speak and understand all languages.

Afew comics show him building various machines that would make Ironman envious. Yet it shows plenty of dumbass moments for him, like that time he picked a fight with a cyborg that he know was powered by his weakness, who wasn’t attacking anyone at the time and only wanted his corpse back.
I never liked superman cause of all his bullshit abilities break so much logic and used in the dumbest way.Like the fact that he can hear his signal watch a galaxy away , his wife’s heart beat/voice from across the world but he can’t hear lex Luther plotting 5 blocks away from him despite knowing lex Luther.

oh yh.. I forgot the super speed and memory.

I don't feel the depictions highlight his intelligence enough.. When you have super speed, and it shows your thoughts have super speed, you are going to be able to be super smart just by how fast you figure out most things, and the share amount of memory you can remember

Creativity and inventiveness doesn't depend on things like that, but superman should be super smart, and so should the flash.

But they always forget to properly show that.

Superman is supposed to be the ultimate man, but he isn't omnipotent or omniscient.

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Wasn't he endowed with/taught the combined knowledge of all known civilizations on his trip to Earth ? I specifically remember him being taught how to manipulate time but he was forbidden from doing so.

That's another angle they don't often play, his intelligence against his morality. I could accept superman not employing some cleverer and quicker solutions because they are unethical. For example, he's morality would prevent him from manipulating time, which takes a lot of intelligence to figure out how to do and then manage it too, but he won't use that, because it's unethical.

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Smarter than the average man, but dumber than Batman is how DC writes him.

IT seems so, but from the story and attributes they've given him, he should be way smarter. But there are different types of smart.

Bruce is street smart, money smart and tech smart.

Superman is straight smart.

[Kyphael]

IT seems so, but from the story and attributes they've given him, he should be way smarter. But there are different types of smart.

Bruce is street smart, money smart and tech smart.

Superman is straight smart.

True. Bruce is definitely street smarter. Then again, Clark was raised on a farm so he was never going to have street smarts. Clark is definitely tech smarter, didn't he build a lot of machines in the Fortress? Or he at least knows how to operate alien tech which is much more advanced than the average Earth computer.

I'm not convinced Bruce is very money smart TBH. I mean, obviously he inherited a ridiculous amount that most people wouldn't be able to spend in a lifetime, and sure, he's at least smart enough in how to invest it, but I've never read a story that painted him as someone that has been able to considerably increase his family's fortune the way a Lex Luthor would, and if he did, I'm sure he did so by surrounding himself with the right people who do that, since his focus is entirely on breaking kneecaps all night and playing the billionaire but charitable playboy during the day. We also know Lucius Fox is responsible for all the tech he has.

[shadowmatrix]

When it comes to DC Comics everyone is a genius and an idiot depending on who they want to build up or which writer they want to screw over.

[Egomaniac]

Silver Age Superman was a Supergenius.



Silver age Superman had any power the writers wanted him to have.

More recently, he can use Superspeed to learn everything there is to know about anything in a matter of seconds. How long he can actually retain that knowledge is a different story.

[Spiffums]

That's what always pushed me from DC toward Marvel. DC is always "god like heros" where Marvel is "mutants".

[Egomaniac]

I'm not convinced Bruce is very money smart TBH. I mean, obviously he inherited a ridiculous amount that most people wouldn't be able to spend in a lifetime, and sure, he's at least smart enough in how to invest it, but I've never read a story that painted him as someone that has been able to considerably increase his family's fortune the way a Lex Luthor would, and if he did, I'm sure he did so by surrounding himself with the right people who do that, since his focus is entirely on breaking kneecaps all night and playing the billionaire but charitable playboy during the day. We also know Lucius Fox is responsible for all the tech he has.

To be fair, Lex is a Narcissist. Everything he does is for his own benefit...including building his already considerable wealth.

Bruce maintains a more philanthropic image...and despite all that he still maintains his place as one of the wealthiest people on the planet.

Also, Batman, as of Doomsday Clock #2, is allegedly the second smartest person on earth....just behind Lex Luthor.

[Ivanstone]

That's what always pushed me from DC toward Marvel. DC is always "god like heros" where Marvel is "mutants".

No. That is flatly incorrect.

DC has Superman. Marvel has the Silver Surfer. Guess which is more god-like?

Marvel has successfully marketed itself as having more "realistic" heroes who are very often just copies of DC heroes.

[xmx]

No. That is flatly incorrect.

DC has Superman. Marvel has the Silver Surfer. Guess which is more god-like?

Marvel has successfully marketed itself as having more "realistic" heroes who are very often just copies of DC heroes.

I mean, in theory silver surfer is to be a super powerful cosmic dude that is all mighty, but in practice hes a bitch in comparison to superman. Superman is just as op as the situation needs.

[Doctor Amadeus]

It's stands to reason. If he is indeed Super then yes.

[Egomaniac]

No. That is flatly incorrect.

DC has Superman. Marvel has the Silver Surfer. Guess which is more god-like?

Marvel has successfully marketed itself as having more "realistic" heroes who are very often just copies of DC heroes.

Silver Surfer is hardly a copy of Superman.

Hyperion? Sure.
The Sentry? Without a doubt.

And as far as Marvel copying DC goes...it happens just as often the other way around as well. Often, they purposefully do it just to poke some fun at the other company.

https://www.cbr.com/marvel-dc-rip-offs/